Insurance Company of the West’s average rate increase by +6.07% — effective 9/1/2026
09/23/2026
Insurance Company of the West has filed new California workers’ compensation base rates with the California Department of Insurance for policies effective September 1, 2026.
How are average rates changing?
| Issuing Company | Average Rate
9/1/2025 | Average Rate
9/1/2026 | % Change |
|---|
| Insurance Company of the West | 7.41 | 7.86 | +6.07% |
*Average rate calculation does not include per capita or per race rates (7707 – Firefighters – volunteers, 7722 – Police, Sheriffs – volunteers, or 8278 – Jockeys).
Does the average change apply to every policy?
Not necessarily. A carrier’s average rate change provides useful context, but individual class rates may move differently. The effect on a specific policy depends on the classifications and exposures involved.
The examples below show how some of Insurance Company of the West’s individual advisory rates are changing compared with the prior policy period.
| Class – Description | Advisory Rate
9/1/2025 | Advisory Rate
9/1/2026 | % Change |
|---|
| 7219 - Trucking Firms | 10.57 | 12.64 | +19.58% |
| 45 - Orchards–nut crops | 7.67 | 8.56 | +11.60% |
| 42 - Landscape Gardening | 9.15 | 9.64 | +5.36% |
| 5190 - Electrical Wiring–low wage | 6.67 | 6.44 | -3.45% |
| 5187 - Plumbing–high wage | 4.92 | 4.72 | -4.07% |
| 171 - Field Crops | 10.36 | 9.13 | -11.87% |
What does this mean for an individual account?
The average rate increase is only a starting point. To understand the potential effect on a specific policy, review the applicable classifications and compare how those rates changed.
With WorkCompare, users can generate a Pre-Quote Estimate to evaluate how current rate changes may affect potential pricing before formal quotes arrive.